Rainwater Harvesting System
demand management that seeks to
Water and Environmental Management
The country is subjected to continuous
growth of population, expansion in
urbanization, industrialization and irrigated
agriculture. This phenomenon is imposing
growing demand and pressure on water
resources while contributing to water
pollution.
A new development of water resources
such as new water supply scheme results in
rising costs and significant impact to the
environment. The potential problems
include deforestation, rise in sea level,
decreasing crop yields, water conflicts,
increase severity/frequency of tropical
storms and declining fish population.
An integrated approach is essential to
pursue a more effective water management.
A multifunctional approach that can be
adapted widening the scope of water
quantity and quality controls in urban
drainage system and integrating it with the
rainwater harvesting system for non-
consumptive uses.
The increase demand for clean water supply
is on the rise in parallel with the economic
growth of the country. The practicable limit
of surface water resources development has
already been reached in region of high
demand.
Current approaches towards water
management in cities are supply driven,
where a new resource will be developed to
manage a water shortage. As there will be
an ever increasing demand, there is a
possibility that the major cities will face a
water crisis situation. Hence, water demand
management that focuses on conservation
measures utilizing demand driven
approaches will make better use of our
limited potential water supply. Water
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maximize the usage of water also conserves
water and thus limits the needs for new
water supply schemes.
An approach of rainwater harvesting collected
from the roof of a building provides the
practical and effective utilization of rainwater.
This is appropriate as more than 30% of
domestic water use does not require treated
water quality.
Quantity Control Consideration
The rainwater harvesting system should be
integrated with on-site detention facilities to
serve a minor storm event. On-site detention
storage-cum-rainwater harvesting system may
be provided as above-ground storages, below-
ground storages, or a combination of both.
The main advantages of above-ground storages
are, they can generally easily incorporated into
the site by slight modification to the design and
are relatively inexpensive compared to below
ground storages.
Landscape areas such as lawns and garden beds,
impervious area such as car parks, driveways,
paved storage yards, and other paved surfaces
offer a wide range of possibilities for providing
surface storage for on-site detention-cum-
rainwater harvesting storage and can enhance
the aesthetic of a site.
The below-ground storages can be concealed
and occupy less physical space as illustrated
in Figure 2.1
Stormwater can be detained on flat roof
provided that adequate protection against
leakage is provided in the structural design of
the building. This type of storage has limited
application in residential areas and is more
suited to commercial and industrial buildings
where flat roof are more common as shown in
Figure 2.2.
 Figure 2.1 Typical On-Site Detention
Storages
Figure 2.2 Typical Rainwater Harvesting for
Multi-Storey Building.
Surface tanks may be integrated as onsite
detention and rainwater harvesting as
illustrated in Figure 2.3.

Typical below-ground storage tanks are either

circular or rectangular in plan and/or cross
section (Figure 2.4).

Figure 2.3 Typical Multi-Purpose

Surface Tank

Surface tanks are normally provided on

residential, commercial or industrial lots for
rainwater harvesting system. These tanks
collect rainwater from the rooftop of the
building and store it for intended domestic use.

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 Figure 2.4 Typical Below-Ground
Storage Tank
A pipe package is a below-ground rainwater
storage consisting of one or more parallel rows
of buried pipes connected by a common inlet
and outlet chamber (Figure 2.5). The size of a
pipe-package is determined by the storage
volume requirements and the physical
availability of space on the site. The pipe
package shall be installed using minimum
900mm diameter pipe size to facilitate
inspection and maintenance. Pipes should be
laid at a minimum longitudinal grade of 2% to
avoid standing pockets of water which can
occur due to lack of precision during
construction.
Figure 2.5 Typical layout of Pipe
Package Storage.
Designers have the option to combine either
above or underground system as illustrated in
Figure 2.6.
Figure 2.6 Typical of Above and
Below-Ground Storage Quality
Control Consideration
The planning and design of rainwater
harvesting system not only provide the water
for various intended uses but it can also provide
the stormwater quality control aspect in urban
stormwater management i.e. first flush system,
thus capable of providing a clean, safe and
reliable water source.
First flush system remove and wash
accumulated contaminants such as bacteria,
molds, protozoa and heavy metals e.g. lead and
arsenic.
For portable usage, filtration and disinfection
systems are required. For non portable usage,
the first flush system is sufficient.